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Comments and. Outlines 



"Standard Schools 

of Maine 



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state of ^Q\v<zOli>^t^4idjL' 
Educational DefxirtnienH^^ 



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Copies of this document will be sent 
free on application to 

W. W. STETSON, 
State Supt. of Public Schools. 
Augusta, Maine. I 



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"sraiulard Schools." 



Ilie following- paragraphs may be 
found in the editoirial columns of 
a recent issue of the Boston 
Herald. The article is so clear in its 
statements and so discriminating: in its 
criticisms that the Department has de- 
cided to issue it in pamphlet form. It 
is hoped it will be read carefully and 
tJiat the suggestions found therein will 
stimulate our people to lake up the 
matter of establishing one of these 
schools in each county of the State. 

Hardly a more suggestive brief tract 
on the improvement of the country 
common school has been issued any- 
where than the one entitle<l "Standard 
Schools." * * * * * jj- Yias only a 
dozen printed pages of a size that ena- 
bles it to be inclosed in an ordinary 
letter envelope. Copies of this and of 
a similar tract, entitled "The Work of 
a Decade in the Schools of Maine," 
can be obtained free upon application 
to the State superintendent of public 
schools, Augusta, Me. For the benefit 
of the many who are interested in this 
subject, we will describe what is meant 



" STANDARD SCHOOLS 



by the "Standard School.' * * * * * 
The superintendent says that the 
"ideal school" and the "model school," 
which have filled so large a place in 
educational reports, are "both illusive 
and delusive," conceptions change so 
rapidly; but he thinks the standard 
school "has metes and bounds and may 
have a local habitation." It may, but 
now the standard school is only, an 
ideal, it does not yet exist in fact. The 
superintendent desires to have at least 
one established in every county; and 
his little tract is an effort to induce the 
people to make such schools real and 
visible. 

This proposal may be regarded as the 
essential outcome of ten years of work 
***** to improve the schools 
of Maine. In the first place, the actual 
condition of the schools was plainly 
set before the people by carefully made, 
just reports, with illustrations. While 
defects were not covered up, the good 
points were fairly presented. Then the 
local superintendents were called upon 
to express their opinions, in critical 
comment on the opinions and criti- 
cisms of the general superintendent. * 
* * * * These replies were tabu- 
lated impersonally with respect to the 



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"^^ i^ OF MAINE 



-subject matter and widely distributed 
in the State. Then followed pamphlets 
on studies, on methods of teaching-, on 
designs and plans for schoolhouses and 
the equipment of schools, on school 
sites and grounds and decoration and 
gardens and various other matters. 
Then came the School Improvement 
League, county teachers' associations, 
town teachers' meetings, summer 
schools, and, lately, educational mass 
meetings. The school leagues have had 
a markedly good influence in many 
ways. There has been a quiet, effec- 
tive growth of popular interest in the 
schools, and when, last fall, thirty edu- 
cational mass meetings were held in 
different parts of the State, addressed 
by distinguished gentlemen from other 
states, the popular interest was sur- 
prising. Thus within the ten years a 
changed attitude toward the school 
work has been brought about, affecting 
not only teachers, but pupils and the 
general public, llie State has been 
aroused and impressed as it never has 
been before. It has been made ready 
for favorable consideration of the 
"standard" school. 

The conception of this kind of school 
does not relate to city schools nor to 



6 "standard schools" 

high schools. It concerns the elemen- 
tary schools. The first of the govern- 
ing- conditions is that no community 
shall be elig-ible to compete for the 
school if its population exceeds eighty 
persons who are between 5 and 21 
years old. But the contemplated 
school, modest as it is, will cost more 
money than a small community can 
readily raise. Hence an ingenious, andi, 
so far as we know, a unique plan is de- 
signed. The community should be se- 
lected for the establishment of the 
school which furnishes the largest "spe- 
cial fund," taking into consideration the 
valuation of its real and personal prop- 
erty for taxation. The contributions to 
this fund may be by residents or by 
others. Secondly, the town should pro- 
vide the school building "as found in 
the community where the improvement 
is to be made," and a lot of at least 
three acres in extent. Then a donor, or 
donors, should be secured to contribute 
as much to this "special fund" as has 
been raised by general solicitation, 
provided that the contribution of such 
donor, or donors, shall not exceed $500. 
The modest amount of this special 
fund, not exceeding $1000, is a peculiar 
feature. The fund is to be kept in 



OF MAINE 



bank subject to the order of two trus- 
tees, one representing the community 
as such, the other the donor. In other 
words, if we understand the scheme, it 
is proposed to secure a small endow- 
ment for the school, to be used in im- 
provement or adornment of the build- 
ing and grounds. 

The lot of at least three acres should 
be divided into plots for forest trees, 
fruit trees, vegetable and flower gar- 
dens, a lawn, playground, walks and 
drives. It, as well as the schoolhouse, 
is intended to be used for instruction. 
The kind of building required, its gen- 
eral plan, the materials of its construc- 
tion, its furnishings and decoration 
are indicated. A small room to serve 
as a workroom for boys should be at- 
tached to one of the rear corners of the 
main building, and a similar room at- 
tached to the other rear corner as a 
workroom for girls. The particular 
qualifications of the teacher to have 
charge of such a school are set forth, 
and also the curriculum of studies, in 
which, besides the common school 
branches, nature, art, music, drawing, 
hygiene, labor and civics have place. 
The methods must be adapted^ to the 
child taught. TTie fundamental princi- 



STANDARD SCHOOLS 



pie of recognizing- the limitations of the 
child will be kept in mind. The gener- 
al principle is asserted that "the com- 
mon school should be the social, liter- 
ary and art centre of the community." 
The things which such a school may be 
expected to accomplish for its pupils 
are enumerated. * *■ --^ * * 

This "standard school" is about as 
distinct a dream of an "ideal school" 
as was ever presented on paper. It 
may be a feasible ideal. We should be 
glad to believe that it is, and would be 
willing to make a reasonable journey 
to see one in actual operation. * * * 
Some one may be able one of these 
days to offer us an opportunity. But 
we are obliged to say that we do not 
see much difference between the un- 
realized "standard" school and the un- 
realized "ideal" school or "model" 
school. One thing we miss that would 
appear to be a proper part of such a 
presentation, an estimate of the cost of 
building such a school as is described 
and of the cost of maintaining it without 
deterioration. As we remarked in the 
beginning, the tract is highly sugges- 
tive and if the schenio is only partially 
practicable in any one example, it will 
prove to be a seed of improvement. 



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